Divide & Conquer Bedside Mess

This week we analyze the secrets of the pros in June’s issue of Real Simple. The first one is from our favorite organizer, Melissa Picheny of Declutter + Design. She’s favorite because she knows that personality type is a major factor in organizing and that “big picture” personality types need things to be out in the open to know where they are and “detail-oriented” types need them squirreled away. (She’s also a fabulous dinner date!)

Her solution is for that albatross that can and often is the bedside table. When I look at this photo I feel envy and peace. And while all your bedside needs are “hidden” in a drawer, this is something that could work for a big picture type like myself because once the drawer is open, everything is in full view. Fact is, this is a universal solution as old as ancient warrior tactics and it works — to a degree.

Here’s the key to this beautiful, and elegant solution: Maintenance. Top drawers in any room tend to default into clutter havens as we quickly tidy up all the miscellaneous detritus that crops up during the week. Drop it in that drawer and suddenly the problem is solved and a drawer begins to morph into a hot mess. So using these beautiful drawer-organizers, or any other dividers, is the second step towards clutter clarity.

The first step is to purge that junk drawer and banish anything that tends to collect there and find a new place for that stuff. Perhaps a different drawer, or a tasteful “transition” box or basket. The key is to find a new home for the junk that is as convenient as your bedside table. Any type who is busy is going to have a hard time with maintenance, so this will help keep the clutter at bay before it has a chance to start.

While this calming and attractive organized drawer will help any type want to keep the order, some will have an easier time than others. Funs (SPs) are driven to tidy up the minute they see anything out of order, Classics (SJs) will tend to do it at an appointed time of the day. Those big picture types who crave order, — Organic Structures (NFJs) and Smart Structures (STJs), don’t have the same kind of need to tidy up as often as Funs and Classics, so the maintenance will be harder for them. But the mess won’t bother them as much, and if and when it does, they’ll take care of it. The same is true for Organic Freedoms (NFPs) and Smart Freedoms (NTPs), but it will be even harder for them and usually takes a LOT longer for them to get around to cleaning up what has most likely turned from a little maintenance into another organizational project!